By By MICHAEL BASHARA / Niles Daily Star
BUCHANAN -- The fifth-rated Buchanan boys basketball team dropped its first game of the season, 54-51, to Coloma in what can only be described as a great ball game.
It was game with a lot of little runs. The most important one was at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Coloma went on an 8-2 run with all of its points coming from the free throw line.
With 32 seconds to go in the game and trailing 52-50, Buchanan's Gordon Bryant was at the line shooting two free throws. Bryant, who led Buchanan with 12 points, made 1-of-2 to give Buchanan its final score.
On the other end, Farrid Coleman hit 2-of-2 free throws to get Coloma to its final score.
Buchanan called timeout with eight seconds on the clock after getting the ball into the front court. Buchanan's Jordan Lee got an open look at the basket for a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but it fell short.
Buchanan started the game with the early lead when Bryant posted up inside and hit a jump shot at 7:42 on Buchanan's first possession.
Then Coloma scored the next seven points when Eric Biggart hit a three, and Coleman and Bobby Edelberg each hit for two.
Then at 3:20 Lee hit a jump shot to cut the lead to 7-4. Quinton Buish and Tony Robinson each hit a bucket for Buchanan in the first period.
Jermain Murphy got a rebound basket, and Edelberg hit a three for Coloma in the first period.
The second period was mostly Coloma. Lee hit a three, and Brian Shannon hit a three at the buzzer to put Buchanan down 27-18 at the half.
Buchanan came out in the third quarter and whittled away at the lead. With 2:37 to go in the third quarter Buchanan tied the score at 31-31 when Zach Bonham scored inside and hit a free throw. Coloma missed its next shot, and Buchanan had a chance to take the lead, but the Bucks turned the ball over. "Our kids fought back hard to get back into the game," said McBeth. "Obviously beating Coloma on our home floor would have been nice, but we still get to play them again up there."
The final period was a see-saw battle with Coloma making free throws and Buchanan hitting field goals. Robinson and Bryant each hit three in the final period for the Bucks.
Coloma now moves to 9-2 on the season and 7-0 in the Lakeland Conference. The Bucks move to 8-1 on the season and 5-1 in the conference.
The junior varsity game was won by Coloma, 56-47. Eric Cole scored 18 points for the young Bucks, and Doug Summers added 11 points. Again this game came down to free throws as the Bucks missed enough to win the game.
The Buchanan freshmen got their first win of the season, 60-50, with Terrell Tucker, Brad Burns and L.J. Hughes each scoring 16 points for the Bucks.
The Bucks host Brandywine Tuesday with the freshmen game starting at 4 p.m.
Coloma……..54
Buchanan….51
Coloma: Farid Coleman 1 6-6 8, Eric Biggart 5 0-0 12, Jermaine Murphy 2 1-2 5, Bobby Edelberg 5 2-4 15, Milo Jefferies 0 0-0 0, Terrell Evans 5 0-0 10, Jake Boven 1 2-3 4. Totals: 19 11-16 54
Buchanan: Jordan Lee 2 2-2 7, Brian Shannon 3 0-0 7, Kyle Tracy 0 0-0 0, Quinton Buish 1 0-0 2, Tony Robinson 5 0-0 11, DuJuan Bennett 2 0-0 4, Brandon Kyles 0 0-0 0, Gordon Bryant 5 1-2 12, Jared Rusher 0 0-0 0, Karl Schmidt 0 0-0 0, Zach Bonham 3 2-3 8. Totals: 22 5-7 51
Coloma 14 13 9 18--54
Buchanan 10 8 16 17--51
3-point shooting: Coloma 5 (Edelberg 3, Biggart 2), Buchanan 4 (Lee, Shannon Robinson, Bryant). Team fouls (fouled out): Coloma 10 (none), Buchanan 14 (none). Team records: Coloma 9-2 (7-0 Lakeland), Buchanan 8-1 (5-1)